Former Dodgers ace Zack Greinke made the Diamondbacks instantly better when he signed a $206 million deal. (Patrick McDermott, Getty Images)

Nashville, Tenn. — In 2014, the Arizona Diamondbacks lost 98 games and finished last in the National League West. Yes, they were even worse then the Rockies.

Now they are the stars of the winter meetings here in Music City, the talk of baseball and favorites to win the division in 2016.

“The D-Backs are the team to beat now. They are all in … they’re going for it,” an NL West scout told me late Tuesday night. “I thought they were already a good team, now they have a chance to win the World Series. I might even make them the favorites.”

I’m not sure about that, but they are now the team to beat in the NL West.

The D-Backs already had starters Patrick Corbin and Rubby De La Rosa, but over the last week they have snared Zack Greinke through free agency and then on Tuesday night pulled off an enormous trade to get Shelby Miller from the Braves.

Clearly, Arizona is all in — right now.

The Rockies? I can’t see them contending until 2017 — at the earliest. And even then, all of the windows would have to open at just the right time.

“I don’t know how many other teams would have spent $206 million on Zack Greinke. OK, actually, I do: That would be none. But whatever. He makes the Diamondbacks dramatically better — and his exit makes the Los Angeles Dodgers dramatically worse.

I also don’t know how many other teams would have given up the No. 1 pick in the country in 2015 (Dansby Swanson), a first-round pick from 2013 (Aaron Blair) and an outfielder as talented and energizing as Ender Inciarte for Shelby Miller. But whatever. Shelby Miller is as good a No. 2 starter as you’ll find in the NL West (for now, anyway).”
— Jason Stark, ESPN

In the field, Arizona reminds me a bit of Kansas City. The Diamondbacks are fast, athletic and a can score runs in a number of ways.

Arizona had the second-largest output in the NL last season at 4.44 runs per game. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt (a perennial MVP candidate) and young center fielder A.J. Pollock are two of the top players at their positions in the league — and both own Gold Gloves. Keep in mind that the D-Backs finished second in the league in defensive runs saved in 2015.

The Rockies have a talented lineup that can match up with any team in the NL West. What they don’t have is quality starting pitching, at least not right now, and certainly not compared to the Diamondbacks.

Colorado’s record in the NL West was 32-44 last season. It went 6-13 against the Diamondbacks.

Arizona is taking a risk with the Miller trade, no doubt. But it’s clear that the competitive fire of LaRussa and Stewart has turned the D-Backs into a force.

Rockies all-star third baseman Nolan Arenado watches the action at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.(John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Nashville, Tenn. — While we wait to see if the Rockies will retool for the 2016 season, we do know how spring training sets up.

The Rockies will report to camp at Salt River Fields in mid-February, then begin Cactus League play on March 2 against the Diamondbacks.

Here is the release from the Rockies:

The Colorado Rockies announced their 32-game 2016 Cactus League schedule on Monday. The schedule features 16 home games and three road games at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona. The 2016 Cactus League season will be the club’s sixth year at the shared Spring Training facility with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community land.

Colorado opens their Spring Training schedule as the home team against Arizona at Salt River Fields on March 2. This will be the eighth consecutive season that the Rockies have opened their Cactus League slate against the Diamondbacks.

The schedule also includes a home game on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, vs. the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and a road game vs. the Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields on Easter Sunday, March 27. The Rockies will conclude their 2016 Spring Training schedule with a home game against the Seattle Mariners on April 2 before opening the 2016 regular season on Monday, April 4 vs. the Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich will head to Nashville next week looking to wheel and deal — maybe. Baseball’s winter meetings, which start Monday, cram a bunch of executives and agents in one place and cranks out a hot-stove sprint of player moves.

Bridich told Patrick Saunders that “some things could get done at or just after” the Nashville meetings. And the big question for the Rockies centers on whether they’ll trade slugger Carlos Gonzalez.

But what about the Rockies’ free-agent options? Plenty of players and pitchers are available. Will the Rox make a move? How much money do they have to work with? Are trades more likely than free-agent signings?

Braves right-hander Shelby Miller could be a good fit for the Rockies, but a lot of teams are interested in the 25-year-old starter.(The Associated Press)

The Rockies need starting pitching. The Braves might, and I emphasize might be willing to trade 25-year-old right-hander Shelby Miller if the price is right.

A match made in heaven? Perhaps.

I know for a fact that the Rockies really like Miller, but a major-league source told me Thursday that the Rockies have not spoken to the Braves regarding any trades “in a while.”

Many other teams, however, are reportedly in hot pursuit. According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Diamondbacks and Giants are two of 20 teams that are said to have expressed interest in Miller.

Why has Miller become such a hot commodity? After all, he posted a 6-17 record with the woeful Braves last season. But that’s only a small part of the story. Miller had a 3.02 ERA and has three years remaining before he becomes a free agent.

The Braves, therefore, are asking for a lot in return. According to Heyman, Atlanta asked the Yankees for top young right-hander Luis Severino in their talks. The Braves are also said to want young outfielder Marcell Ozuna, who’s available, plus more from the Marlins.

In general, the Braves are seeking to upgrade their offense. Would Carlos Gonzalez be on their wish list? With just two years left on his contract at $37 million, I doubt it. Left fielder Corey Dickerson and some other prospects would make more sense.

Right now, however, the Rockies do not appear to be in the Miller derby. But that could certainly change in the coming days or at next week’s winter meetings in Nashville.

Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich said he won’t allow outside calls for change to influence his decision making.(John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Hardcore Rockies fans are getting restless, hopeful their team will make major moves this winter to spark the team out of its stupor.

That’s why there was such excitement Tuesday — both pro and con — about the Rockies reportedly expressing interest in Seattle first baseman Mark Trumbo. However, a major-league source told me that the rumors linking the Rockies to Trumbo were “overblown.”

Sure enough, on Tuesday night the Mariners traded Trumbo to the Orioles.

So what happens now?

GM Jeff Bridich told me that “some things could get done at or just after” baseball’s winter meetings that begin Monday in Nashville.

The hot speculation, of course, centers around the Rockies trading Carlos Gonzalez for pitching. Bridich, however, continues to reiterate his statement that his “eyes and ears are open to anything.”

These will be Bridich’s second winter meetings as the Rockies’ chief architect, so I asked him if he’ll approach the meetings differently than he did last winter in San Diego.

UPDATE: Wilin Rosario on Tuesday chose to become a free agent, instead of accept a minor-league assignment after the Rockies outrighted him to the minor-leagues Monday night. He most likely will not return to the Rockies next season.

Wilin Rosario returned to his natural perch behind home plate last month. He’s in a catcher platoon for Águilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican Winter League, hitting a robust .338/.402/.459 in 74 at-bats.

In 2015, Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado set an all-time major league record for extra-base hits by a third baseman. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)

My BFFs on Twitter had a grand time bashing me for my NL MVP voting. That’s fine, we’re all entitled to our opinions — even beat writers who cover the Rockies.

Like everyone else, I voted for the Nationals’ Bryce Harper as my No. 1. The 23-year-old’s incredible season made him the youngest unanimous MVP in baseball history.

Harper beat out fellow finalists Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds for the award. He tallied 420 points to finish 186 points ahead of Goldschmidt, who finished second. Please remember that we cast our votes before the three finalists were revealed.

Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado finished eighth, about where I thought he would finish. I knew he wouldn’t make the top five, though I believe he should have.

For the record, Arenado was third on my ballot. I was one of four writers to pick him third. Why did I do it?

Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez says he’s happy in Denver, but his name is sure to come up during trade discussions this winter. (Doug Pensinger, Getty Images)

I was trolling big-league waters for possible trades that would bring pitching to Colorado when I netted an interesting article from Paul Hoynes, the respected baseball writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

“To get the hitter they need, the Indians are going to have to trade one of their top starters — Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar or Trevor Bauer. Or they could deal young starter Cody Anderson along with a prospect like Bradley Zimmer or Clint Frazier.”

The Rockies have two players who might fit the Indians’ needs: Outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Corey Dickerson. The Rockies need quality pitching and they are going to have to give up something valuable to get it. Could the Indians be a legitimate trade partner?

The Rockies need better starting pitching, preferably by acquiring a proven arm that can spark a winning streak, stop a losing streak, carry a heavy load of innings and provide some leadership.

There is an excellent free-agent class out there, but the Rockies rarely put a bid in for the big-money guys. Even if they did, pitchers such as Zack Greinke, David Price or Johnny Cueto are not going to come pitch at 5,280 feet for a team that’s averaged 94 losses over the last four seasons.

If Bridich makes a move, it will most likely come via a trade, though he says he’s open to all possibilities.

“We will look at both avenues,” he said last week after returning from the GM meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. “It’s probably easier to get aggressive on the trade front, especially early on. Free agents like to see what the full market is, most of them. But we’ll run parallel courses to the best of our ability.”

Scouring the free-agent market, I found one high-quality starter who might make some sense. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but it sure would be an upgrade.

When Rockies all-star third baseman Nolan Arenado recently confirmed to me that he was dropping Scott Boras as his agent and hooking up with Joel Wolfe of the Wasserman Media Group, I immediately began thinking about what it meant for Arenado’s future with the Rockies.

Could the elimination of the powerful Boras mean a more favorable climate for a long-term deal between the Rockies and Arenado?

Arenado is first-time arbitration eligible this winter as a super-two, and he’s under the Rockies’ control through the 2019 season. I’m estimating that he will be looking at a $6-$6.5 million salary for the 2016 season.

While teaming with a new agency is no guarantee that the Rockies will sign Arenado to a long-term extension, it certainly won’t make it less likely. With the Boras in the picture, I thought there was no chance at all.

The right fielder joined third baseman Nolan Arenado — the first time two Rockies won in the same year since 2010 (when Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki won). Gonzalez is the seventh Rockies hitter to win multiple Silver Slugger awards, joining Tulowitzki, Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, Mike Hampton, Larry Walker and Vinny Castilla.

Behind the hardware, though, is another round of trade rumors involving Gonzalez.

“It’s similar to last year, I would say,” Bridich said. “There are teams that are definitely starting to ask questions.”

Gonzalez, though, said he remains happy. Coming off season-ending knee surgery in 2014, he started slow last season, then rediscovered his swing in the second half. He hit just four homers in the first two months, but found a groove by the all-star break. He hit an NL-leading 27 home runs in the second half, with a .285 batting average and a .975 OPS.

It likely revived his trade value for the Rockies. But Gonzalez is not ready to bite.

Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich said he is considering different avenues to improve the club’s starting pitching. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich returned from the GM meetings in Florida Wednesday night. During a conference call with reporters, he spoke on a number of topics.

Bridich didn’t reveal much about the Rockies’ offseason game plan, but he certainly sounded like a GM searching for an upgrade to his pitching staff.

Some highlights:

Bridich would considering parting with prospects if the right situation came along to acquire a starting pitcher. In the past, Rockies prospects were usually off the table.

“When I say we’re open to whatever, I mean it,” Bridich said. “I don’t think we’ll ever be in a ‘sell the farm’ mode. I don’t think that’s a wise decision for us. But you have to be open minded to things that can improve your ballclub.”

Asked if free agency or a trade was the more likely path toward acquiring a pitcher, Bridich said: “We will look at both avenues. It’s probably easier to get aggressive on the trade front, especially early on. Free agents like to see what the full market is, most of them. But we’ll run parallel courses to the best of our ability.”

Starter Kyle Kendrick’s struggles were symbolic of the Rockies’ woes in 2015. In 27 starts, Kendrick went 7-13 with a 6.32 ERA, including a 7.62 ERA at Coors Field.( Getty Images)

As Jeff Bridich joined the rest of the major-league general managers Monday in Boca Raton, Fla. for four days of meetings, proposals, counter proposals, sales pitches and general brainstorming, I thought I’d take another look back at the Rockies’ 2015 season.

Here are some numbers that really caught my attention:

4

Longest winning streak of the season, accomplished three times. The inability to put together a longer streak speaks volumes about the Rockies’ inconsistencies at the plate and on the mound.

11

Longest losing streak of the season, from April 28 to May 13. It killed any chance the Rockies had to play “meaningful games in September,” as the company line proclaimed as a goal for the season.

135

Number of days the Rockies spent in last place in the National League West. That’s why the season seemed so long and so hopeless.

579

Number of walks issued by Rockies pitchers, the most since 2005 and ninth-most in franchise history. The free passes, by both starters and relievers, cut the heart out of the team in 2015.

1,112

Strikeouts by Rockies pitchers, the fifth-most in franchise history. I think it’s clear the Rockies are searching for power arms, but they still have a long way to go. What’s more, the bad news of too many walks trumped the good news of the increased Ks in 2015.

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado gets airborne over Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner, bottom, after forcing him out at second base during the fourth inning Sept. 15 at Dodger Stadium. (Danny Moloshok, The Associated Press)

The Rockies’ Nolan Arenado plays third base with 24-karat flair. On Tuesday, he will likely win his third consecutive Gold Glove.

This week, he won his first Fielding Bible Award — anointing him as not just the best third baseman in the National League, but as the best third baseman in the majors.

Here is how the Fielding Bible Awards described Arenado:

“His teammates gave him the nickname “Sharknado” because of his aggressive approach charging groundballs and his ability to make whirling throws to gobble up hitters at first base. … Arenado has been consistently superb defensively since arriving on the scene for the Rockies in 2013, saving 30, 16 and 18 runs in the three years he’s been in the majors.”

Arenado garnered 116 points in the voting, just four points shy of a perfect score of 120. Previous Fielding Bible Award winners, Adrian Beltre and Manny Machado, finishing second and third with 102 and 101 points, respectively.

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado gets airborne over Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner, bottom, after forcing him out at second base during the fourth inning Sept. 15 at Dodger Stadium. (Danny Moloshok, The Associated Press)

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado and second baseman DJ LeMahieu on Thursday were named one of three National League finalists at their positions for the Gold Glove award. Both of them won the award last season. But what are their chances this year?

First, Arenado is a lock for his third Gold Glove, which awards the best defensive player at each position in the NL and AL. He already won the award twice in his first two pro seasons. This time, he’s going against San Francisco’s Matt Duffy and Cincinnati’s Todd Frazier, both worthy finalists. Frazier was the NL’s starting third baseman in the All-Star Game. He’s a great player.

Royals Game 1 starter Edinson Volquez throws a pitch in the first inning of Game 1 of the World Series against the Mets Tuesday night.(Getty Images)

Kansas City, Mo. — Jubilation on the field turned into quiet reflection in the Kansas City Royals’ clubhouse early Wednesday morning.

Shortly after the Royals beat the New York Mets, 5-4, in the 14th inning of Game 1 of the World Series, the players became aware that Daniel Volquez, the father of starting pitcher Edinson Volquez, had died of heart trouble earlier on Tuesday in the Dominican Republic.

Although the Royals management knew, the pitcher didn’t get word until after he had thrown six solid innings.

According to the New York Times, about an hour before the first pitch, Royals Manager Ned Yost went to Chris Young, the scheduled Game 4 starting pitcher, and told him he might have to start Game 1 instead. According to the Times, Yost told Young in confidence that Volquez’s father had died. He told Young not to say anything to Volquez, at the family’s request.

It is said that it takes 16 weeks until you can throw a baseball after having Tommy John surgery.

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Adam Ottavino, who had Tommy John surgery in May, documented his recovery. Ottavino takes you behind the scenes with his GoPro camera to show you what his rehab process looked like.

Scott Murayama, one of the Rockies trainers, worked with Ottavino everyday during his 16-week rehab.

Umpires stand on the field during the seventh inning stretch in Game One of the 2015 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets at Kauffman Stadium on October 27, 2015 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

Major League Baseball has announced the umpires that have been assigned to work the 2015 World Series.

Gary Cederstrom, a 22-year veteran umpire, was named the crew chief of the 111th World Series. His crew is comprised of Mike Winters, Mark Carlson, Mike Everitt, Alfonso Marquez, Bill Welke and Jim Wolf.

MLB also assigned replay officials to work the World Series. Everitt will be the replay official for games one and two. He will then join the remaining crew on the field. Welke will work on the field for games one and two. He will then cover replays for games three through seven.

Umpire Ron Kulpa has been assigned to be the replay assistant for the series.

Kansas City — Troy Tulowitzki almost made it back to the World Series.

He emerged from an injury and a postseason slump to deliver three big hits for the Blue Jays in the playoffs, but the Blue Jays lost the ALCS in six games to the Royals, who open the World Series here on Tuesday night.

Former Rockies star shortstop Troy Tulowtzki told reporters in Toronto that the trade to the Blue Jays was tough on him and his family.(Getty Images)

“Blue Jays’ Troy Tulowitzki never quite felt at home in Toronto this season after shocking trade left him feeling betrayed”

It’s an interesting read by John Lott. And it’s clear that Tulowitzki still harbors a lot of resentment about how the trade went down.

“You know what, and this is just being completely honest, it’s tough for me now to trust anybody in this game after what happened,” Tulo told a small group of reporters. “I’m sure these guys (in the Toronto front office) are great here. But at the same time, with what happened, it’s really tough.”

Though Tulo spent his offseasons in Las Vegas, he said he felt established in Colorado. Being uprooted, he said, was difficult for him, and also for his wife, Danyll, and their 21-month-old son, Taz.

“It’s been a tough year for me, to be honest,” Tulowitzki said. “Just with everything that went down with the trade. It threw me for a loop. It threw my family for a loop.

“I’m excited to go to spring training and get a fresh start with the team and be with these guys for a whole year and not have to worry about trade talks. The last three or four years I had to worry about it and talk about it every single day in Colorado. So, I’m looking forward to having a year where I don’t have to talk about it. It’s going to be great.”

Actually, that’s an exaggeration on Tulo’s part. He didn’t have to talk about being traded “every single day” for three or four years. And the truth is, Tulo brought some of that trade talk on himself.

Still, Tulo was always great to the Rockies beat writers and he’s a wonderful ballplayer. I hope he finds what he’s looking for with the Blue Jays.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.